Electrophoretic fluid

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a display fluid comprising charged composite pigment particles dispersed in a solvent. The composite pigment particles have a density which matches to the density of the solvent in which they are dispersed. A display fluid comprising the composite pigment particles provides improved display performance.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/439,302, filed Feb. 3, 2011; the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to the preparation of composite pigment particles that can be used to form an electrophoretic fluid and the resulting display fluid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An electrophoretic display (EPD) is a non-emissive device based on the electrophoresis phenomenon influencing charged pigment particles dispersed in a dielectric solvent. An EPD typically comprises a pair of spaced-apart plate-like electrodes. At least one of the electrode plates, typically on the viewing side, is transparent. An electrophoretic fluid composed of a dielectric solvent with charged pigment particles dispersed therein is enclosed between the two electrode plates.

An electrophoretic fluid may have one type of charged pigment particles dispersed in a solvent or solvent mixture of a contrasting color. In this case, when a voltage difference is imposed between the two electrode plates, the pigment particles migrate by attraction to the plate of polarity opposite that of the pigment particles. Thus, the color showing at the transparent plate may be either the color of the solvent or the color of the pigment particles. Reversal of plate polarity will cause the particles to migrate back to the opposite plate, thereby reversing the color.

Alternatively, an electrophoretic fluid may have two types of pigment particles of contrasting colors and carrying opposite charges, and the two types of pigment particles are dispersed in a clear solvent or solvent mixture. In this case, when a voltage difference is imposed between the two electrode plates, the two types of pigment particles would move to the opposite ends (top or bottom) in a display cell. Thus one of the colors of the two types of the pigment particles would be seen at the viewing side of the display cell.

For all types of the electrophoretic displays, the fluid contained within the individual display cells of the display is undoubtedly one of the most crucial parts of the device. The composition of the fluid determines, to a large extent, the lifetime, contrast ratio, switching rate and bistability of the device.

In an ideal fluid, the charged pigment particles remain separate and do not agglomerate or stick to each other or to the electrodes, under all operating conditions. In addition, all components in the fluid must be chemically stable and compatible with the other materials present in an electrophoretic display.

Currently, the pigment particles in an electrophoretic fluid often have a density which is much higher than that of the solvent in which the particles are dispersed, thus causing performance issues, such as poor grey level bistability, vertical driving and settling phenomena.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 a and 1 b show the composite pigment particles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows reaction steps of a process suitable for the preparation of the composite pigment particles of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a display fluid comprising charged composite pigment particles dispersed in a solvent, wherein each of said composite pigment particles comprises at least a core pigment particle, a shell coated over the core pigment particle and steric stabilizer molecules on the surface of the composite pigment particles.

In one embodiment, the density of the composite pigment particles substantially matches to that of the solvent.

In one embodiment, the difference between the density of the composite pigment particles and the density of the solvent is less than 2 g/cm³.

In one embodiment, the core pigment particle is an inorganic pigment particle. In one embodiment, the core pigment particles are surface treated.

In one embodiment, the shell is formed from an inorganic material. For example, the shell may be formed from silica, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the shell is porous if it is formed from an inorganic material. In one embodiment, the organic content of the composite pigment particles is in the range of about 10% to about 50% by weight, preferably more than about 15% up to about 30% by weight.

In one embodiment, the shell is formed from an organic material. For example, the shell may be formed from polyacrylate, polyurethane, polyurea, polyester or polysiloxane. In one embodiment, the organic content of the composite pigment particles is at least about 20% by weight, preferably about 20% to about 70% by weight and more preferably about 20% to about 40% by weight.

In one embodiment, the shell is completely incompatible or relatively incompatible with the solvent.

In one embodiment, the steric stabilizer molecules are formed from polyacrylate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polysiloxane or a mixture thereof.

In one embodiment, the surface of the shell comprises functional groups to enable charge generation or interaction with a charge control agent.

In one embodiment, the fluid further comprises a second type of charged pigment particles. In one embodiment, the second type of charged pigment particles is composite pigment particles comprising at least a core pigment particle, a shell coated over the core pigment particle and steric stabilizer molecules on the surface of the composite pigment particles. The two types of composite pigment particles in the fluid are of contrasting colors.

In one embodiment, the solvent in which the composite pigment particles are dispersed is a hydrocarbon solvent or a mixture of a hydrocarbon solvent and another solvent, such as a halogenated solvent or a silicone oil type solvent.

In one embodiment, the composite pigment particles are prepared by dispersion polymerization or living radical polymerization.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The first aspect of the present invention is directed to the composite pigment particles, as shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b. The composite pigment particles are closely density matched to a solvent in which they are dispersed, especially in a hydrocarbon solvent.

The composite pigment particles (10) may have one or more core pigment particles (11). The core particle(s) (11) is/are coated with a shell (12). There are steric stabilizer molecules (13) on the surface of the composite pigment particles.

The core pigment particles are preferably inorganic, such as TiO₂,BaSO₄,ZnO, metal oxides, manganese ferrite black spinel, copper chromite black spinel, carbon black or zinc sulfide pigment particles. They may be black, white or of another color.

The core particles may be optionally surface treated. The surface treatment would improve compatibility of the core pigment particles to the monomer in a reaction medium or chemical bonding with the monomer, in forming the composite pigment particles. As an example, the surface treatment may be carried out with an organic silane having functional groups, such as acrylate, vinyl, —NH₂, —NCO, —OH or the like. These functional groups may undergo chemical reaction with the monomers.

The shell may be formed from an inorganic or organic material.

Inorganic shell materials may include silica, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide and the like or a combination thereof. Sodium silicate or tetraethoxysilane may be used as a common precursor for silica coating.

An organic shell may be formed from an organic polymer, such as polyacrylate, polyurethane, polyurea, polyethylene, polyester, polysiloxane or the like. For example, a polyacrylate shell may be formed from monomer, such as styrene, methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, n-butyl acrylate, n-butyl methacrylate, t-butyl acrylate, t-butyl methacrylate, vinyl pyridine, n-vinyl pyrrolidone, 2-hydoxyethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate or the like. A polyurethane shell may be formed from monomer or oligomer, such as multifunctional isocyanate or thioisocyanate, primary alcohol or the like. A polyurea shell may be formed from monomer containing reactive groups, such as amine/isocyanate, amine/thioisocyanate or the like. A person skilled in the art would be able to select proper monomer or oligomer and its variations, based on the main idea of the present invention.

If the shell is inorganic, the structure of the shell may be porous to reduce density. The “organic content” of the resulting composite pigment particles would be in the range of about 10% to about 50% by weight, preferably more than about 15% up to about 30% by weight.

If the shell is organic, the “organic content” of the resulting composite pigment particles would be at least about 20% by weight, preferably about 20% to about 70% by weight and more preferably about 20% to about 40% by weight.

The term “organic content” is determined by the total weight of the shell (12) and the steric stabilizers (13) divided by the total weight of the core pigment particles (11), the shell (12) and the steric stabilizers (13).

The density of the resulting shell, in any case, is preferably low, lower than 2 g/cm³ and more preferably about 1 g/cm³. The shell thickness may be controlled, based on the density of the shell material and the desired final particle density.

The shell material is either completely incompatible or relatively incompatible with the display fluid in which the composite pigment particles are dispersed. In other words, no more than about 5%, preferably no more than about 1%, of the shell material is miscible with the display fluid.

In order to achieve this complete or relative incompatibility, the shell polymer material may have polar functionality on its main chain or a side chain. Examples of such polar functionality may include —COOH, —OH, NH₂, R—O—R, R—NH—R and the like (wherein R is an alkyl or aryl group). Each of the side chains, in this case, preferably has less than 6 carbon atoms. In one embodiment, the main chain or the side chain may contain an aromatic moiety.

In addition, the core pigment particle(s) and the shell should behave as one single unit. This may be achieved by cross-linking or an encapsulation technique, as described below.

The steric stabilizer (13) in FIG. 1 is usually formed of high molecular weight polymers, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polysiloxane or a mixture thereof.

The steric stabilizer facilitates and stabilizes the dispersion of the composite pigment particles in a solvent.

Furthermore, the surface of the shell may optionally have functional groups that would enable charge generation or interaction with a charge control agent.

The second aspect of the present invention is directed to the preparation of the composite pigment particles of the present invention, which may involve a variety of techniques.

For example, they may be formed by dispersion polymerization. During dispersion polymerization, monomer is polymerized around core pigment particles in the presence of a steric stabilizer polymer soluble in the reaction medium. The solvent selected as the reaction medium must be a good solvent for both the monomer and the steric stabilizer polymer, but a non-solvent for the polymer shell being formed. For example, in an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent of Isopar G®, monomer methylmethacrylate is soluble; but after polymerization, the resulting polymethylmethacrylate is not soluble.

The polymer shell formed from the monomer must be completely incompatible or relatively incompatible with the solvent in which the composite pigment particles are dispersed. Suitable monomers may be those described above, such as styrene, methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, n-butyl acrylate, n-butyl methacrylate, t-butyl acrylate, t-butyl methacrylate, vinyl pyridine, n-vinyl pyrrolidone, 2-hydoxyethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate or the like.

The steric stabilizer polymer may be a reactive and polymerizable macromonomer which adsorbs, becomes incorporated or is chemically bonded onto the surface of the polymer shell being formed. The macromonomer as a steric stabilizer, determines the particle size and colloidal stability of the system.

The macromonomer may be an acrylate-terminated or vinyl-terminated macromolecule, which are suitable because the acrylate or vinyl group can co-polymerize with the monomer in the reaction medium.

The macromonomer preferably has a long tail, R, which may stabilize the composite pigment particles in a hydrocarbon solvent.

One type of macromonomers which is suitable for the process is PE-PEO macromonomers, as shown below:

R_(m)O—[—CH₂CH₂O—]_(n)—CH₂-phenyl-CH=CH₂

or

R_(m)O—[—CH₂CH₂O—]_(n)—C(═O)—C(CH₂)=CH₂

The substituent R may be a polyethylene chain, n is 1-60 and m is 1-500. The synthesis of these compounds may be found in Dongri Chao et al., Polymer Journal, Vol. 23, no. 9, 1045 (1991) and Koichi Ito et al, Macromolecules, 1991, 24, 2348.

Another type of suitable macromonomers is PE macromonomers, as shown below:

CH₃—[—CH₂—]_(n)—CH₂O—C(═O)—C(CH₃)=CH₂

The n, in this case, is 30-100. The synthesis of this type of macromonomers may be found in Seigou Kawaguchi et al, Designed Monomers and Polymers, 2000, 3, 263.

To incorporate functional groups for charge generation, a co-monomer may be added in the reaction medium. The co-monomer may either directly charge the composite pigment particles or have interaction with a charge control agent in the display fluid to bring a desired charge polarity and charge density to the composite pigment particles. Suitable co-monomers may include vinylbenzylaminoethylamino-propyl-trimethoxysilane, methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, vinyl phosphoric acid and the like.

Alternatively, the composite pigment particles may be prepared by living radical dispersion polymerization, as shown in FIG. 2.

The living radical dispersion polymerization technique is similar to the dispersion polymerization described above by starting the process with inorganic pigment particles (21) and monomer dispersed in a reaction medium.

The monomers used in the process to form the shell (22) may include styrene, methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, n-butyl acrylate, n-butyl methacrylate, t-butyl acrylate, t-butyl methacrylate, vinyl pyridine, n-vinyl pyrrolidone, 2-hydoxyethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate and the like.

However in this alternative process, multiple living ends (24) are formed on the surface of the shell (22). The living ends may be created by adding an agent such as TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy), a RAFT (reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer) reagent or the like, in the reaction medium, for the living radical polymerization.

In a further step, a second monomer is added to the reaction medium to cause the living ends (24) to react with the second monomer to form the steric stabilizers (23). The second monomer may be lauryl acrylate, lauryl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, hexyl acrylate, hexyl methacrylate, n-octyl acrylate, n-octyl methacrylate, n-octadecyl acrylate, n-octadecyl methacrylate or the like.

The steric stabilizers should be compatible with the solvent in which the composite pigment particles are dispersed to facilitate dispersion of the composite pigment particles in the solvent.

The steric stabilizers may also be prepared through living radical polymerization.

A co-monomer may also be added to generate charge. Suitable co-monomers may include vinylbenzylaminoethylaminopropyl-trimethoxysilane, methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, vinyl phosphoric acid and the like.

Further alternatively, the composite pigment particles may be formed by coating core pigment particles with polyurethane and/or polyurea.

Polyurethane and polyurea usually are not compatible to a non-polar hydrocarbon solvent and their hardness and elastic property can be tuned through the monomer composition.

In the composite pigment particles of the present invention, the shell may be a polyurethane or polyurea material. The steric stabilizers may be non-polar long chain hydrocarbon molecules.

The synthesis method is similar to emulsion or dispersion polymerization, except that polycondensation occurs, inside micelles, with polyurethane monomer and the inorganic core pigment particles.

The polyurethane or polyurea coating system may be considered as an oil-in-oil emulsion, which contains two incompatible solvents, one of which is a non-polar organic solvent and the other is a polar organic solvent. The system may also be referred to as non-aqueous emulsion polycondensation, in which the non-polar solvent is the continuous phase and the polar solvent is the non-continuous phase. The monomer and the inorganic pigment particles are in the non-continuous phase. Suitable non-polar solvents may include the solvents in the Isopar® series, cyclohexane, tetradecane, hexane or the like. The polar solvents may include acetonitrile, DMF and the like.

An emulsifier or dispersant is critical for this biphasic organic system. The molecular structure of the emulsifier or dispersant may contain one part soluble in the non-polar solvent, and another part anchoring to the polar phase. This will stabilize the micelles/droplets containing the monomer and the inorganic pigment particles and serving as a micro-reactor for the particle formation through polycondensation.

Suitable emulsifiers or dispersants may include di-block co-polymers, such as poly (isoprene)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate), polystyrene-b-poly(ethene-alt-propene) (Kraton) or the like. Also, a co-emulsifier may be added to form chemical bonding with the particles. For example, amine terminated hydrocarbon molecules can react with the particles during polycondensation and bond to surface as robust steric stabilizers. Suitable co-emulsifiers may include surfonamine (B-60, B-100 or B-200) as shown below:

CH₃—[—OCH₂CH₂—]_(x)—[—OCH₂CH(CH₃)—]_(y)—NH₂

wherein x is 5-40 and y is 1-40.

An alternative approach is to continue growing polyacrylate steric stabilizers after the polycondensation reaction in the microreactor is completed. In this case, the shell is formed from polyurethane while the steric stabilizers may be polyacrylate chains. After the emulsifier or dispersant used in the process is washed away from the particle surface, the composite pigment particles are stable in the non-polar solvent (i.e., display fluid) with the polyacrylate stabilizers. Some materials that can initiate acrylate polymerization include isocyanatoethyl acrylate, isocyanatostyrene or the like.

Monomers for the steric stabilizer may be a mixture of hydroxyethyl methacrylate and other acrylate that are compatible to the non-polar solvent, such as lauryl acrylate, lauryl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, hexyl acrylate, hexyl methacrylate, n-octyl acrylate, n-octyl methacrylate, n-octadecyl acrylate, n-octadecyl methacrylate or the like.

In any of the processes described above, the quantities of the reagents used (e.g., the inorganic core pigment particles, the shell material and the material for forming the steric stabilizers) may be adjusted and controlled to achieve the desired organic content in the resulting composite pigment particles.

The third aspect of the present invention is directed to a display fluid comprising the composite pigment particles of the present invention, which composite pigment particles are dispersed in a solvent. A preferred solvent has a low dielectric constant (preferably about 2 to 3), a high volume resistivity (preferably about 1015 ohm-cm or higher) and a low water solubility (preferably less than 10 parts per million). Suitable hydrocarbon solvents may include, but are not limited to, dodecane, tetradecane, the aliphatic hydrocarbons in the Isopar® series (Exxon, Houston, Tex.) and the like. The solvent can also be a mixture of a hydrocarbon and a halogenated carbon or silicone oil base material.

The present invention is applicable to a one-particle or two-particle electrophoretic display fluid system.

In other words, the present invention may be directed to a display fluid comprising only the composite pigment particles prepared according to the present invention which are dispersed in a hydrocarbon solvent. The composite pigment particles and the solvent have contrasting colors.

Alternatively, the present invention may be directed to a display fluid comprising two types of pigment particles dispersed in an organic solvent and at least one of the two types of the pigment particles is prepared according to the present invention. The two types of pigment particles carry opposite charge polarities and have contrasting colors. For example, the two types of pigment particles may be black and white respectively. In this case, the black particles may be prepared according to the present invention, or the white particles may be prepared according to the present invention, or both black and white particles may be prepared according to the present invention.

The composite pigment particles prepared according to the present invention, when dispersed in an organic solvent, have many advantages. For example, the density of the composite pigment particles may be substantially matched to the organic solvent, thus improving performance of the display device. In other words, the difference between the density of the composite pigment particles and the density of the solvent is less than 2 g/cm³, more preferably less than 1.5 g/cm³ and most preferably less than 1 g/cm³.

In the two particle system, if only one type of the pigment particles is prepared according to the present invention, the other type of pigment particles may be prepared by any other methods. For example, the particles may be polymer encapsulated pigment particles. Microencapsulation of the pigment particles may be accomplished chemically or physically. Typical microencapsulation processes include interfacial polymerization/crosslinking, in-situ polymerization/crosslinking, phase separation, simple or complex coacervation, electrostatic coating, spray drying, fluidized bed coating and solvent evaporation, etc.

The pigment particles prepared by the previously known techniques may also exhibit a natural charge, or may be charged explicitly using a charge control agent, or may acquire a charge when suspended in the organic solvent. Suitable charge control agents are well known in the art; they may be polymeric or non-polymeric in nature, and may also be ionic or non-ionic, including ionic surfactants such as dye materials, sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, metal soap, polybutene succinimide, maleic anhydride copolymers, vinylpyridine copolymers, vinylpyrrolidone copolymer, (meth)acrylic acid copolymers, N,N-dimethylaminoethyl (meth)acrylate copolymers or the like.

EXAMPLE Step A: Deposition of Vinylbenzylaminoethylaminopropyl-Trimethoxysilane on Black Pigment Particles

To a 1 L reactor, Black 444 (Shepherd, 40 g), isopropanol (320 g), DI water (12 g), ammonium hydroxide (28%, 0.4 g) and Z-6032 (Dow Corning, 16 g, 40% in methanol) were added. The reactor was heated to 65° C. with mechanical stirring in a sonication bath. After 5 hours, the mixture was centrifuged at 6000 rpm for 10 minutes. The solids were redispersed in isopropanol (300 g), centrifuged and dried at 50° C. under vacuum overnight to produce 38 g of desired pigment particles.

Step B: Preparation of Polymer Coating on Pigment Particles through Dispersion Polymerization

Two (2) g of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP K30) was dissolved in a mixture of 94.5 g water and 5.5 g ethanol. The solution was purged with nitrogen for 20 minutes and heated to 65° C. The pigment particles (4 g) prepared from Step A was dispersed in a mixture of 3.0 g lauryl acrylate, 0.2 g divinylbezene and 0.03 g AIBN (azobisisobutyronitrile) to form a uniform suspension. This suspension was added into the PVP solution at 65° C. With stirring, the polymerization reaction lasted about 12 hours.

Then a mixture of 3.0 g octadecyl acrylate and 0.03 g AIBN was added into the above reaction flask and the reaction was continued for 12 hours.

The solids produced were separated from the liquid through centrifugation and then washed with isopropanol and methylethylketone to remove PVP K30 and other chemicals that were not bonded on the pigment particles. The solids were dried at 50° C. under vacuum to produce final composite black particles. The organic content of the particles produced was about 34% by weight, tested through TGA (thermal gravimetric analysis).

While the present invention has been described with reference to the specific embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the invention. 

1. A display fluid comprising charged composite pigment particles dispersed in a solvent, wherein each of said composite pigment particles comprises at least a core pigment particle, a shell coated over the core pigment particle and steric stabilizer molecules on the surface of the composite pigment particles.
 2. The fluid of claim 1, wherein the density of the composite pigment particles substantially matches to that of the solvent.
 3. The fluid of claim 2, wherein the difference between the density of the composite pigment particles and the density of the solvent is less than 2 g/cm³.
 4. The fluid of claim 1, wherein said core pigment particle is an inorganic pigment particle.
 5. The fluid of claim 1, wherein said core pigment particles are surface treated.
 6. The fluid of claim 1, wherein said shell is formed from an inorganic material.
 7. The fluid of claim 6, wherein said shell is formed from silica, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide or a combination thereof.
 8. The fluid of claim 6, wherein the organic content of the composite pigment particles is in the range of about 10% to about 50% by weight.
 9. The fluid of claim 6, wherein the organic content of the composite pigment particles is more than about 15% up to about 30% by weight.
 10. The fluid of claim 1, wherein said shell is formed from an organic material.
 11. The fluid of claim 10, wherein said shell is formed from polyacrylate, polyurethane, polyurea, polyethylene, polyester or polysiloxane.
 12. The fluid of claim 10, wherein the organic content of the composite pigment particles is at least about 20% by weight.
 13. The fluid of claim 10, wherein the organic content of the composite pigment particles is about 20% to about 70% by weight.
 14. The fluid of claim 10, wherein the organic content of the composite pigment particles is about 20% to about 40% by weight.
 15. The fluid of claim 6, wherein the shell is porous.
 16. The fluid of claim 1, wherein said shell is completely incompatible or relatively incompatible with the solvent.
 17. The fluid of claim 1, wherein the steric stabilizer molecules are formed from polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polysiloxane or a mixture thereof.
 18. The fluid of claim 1, wherein the surface of the shell comprises functional groups to enable charge generation or interaction with a charge control agent.
 19. The fluid of claim 1, further comprising a second type of charged pigment particles.
 20. The fluid of claim 19, wherein said second type of charged pigment particles is composite pigment particles comprising at least a core pigment particle, a shell coated over the core pigment particle and steric stabilizer molecules on the surface of the composite pigment particles and the two types of composite pigment particles are of contrasting colors.
 21. The fluid of claim 19, wherein said second type of charged pigment particles are formed from conventional microencapsulation technique.
 22. The fluid of claim 1, wherein said solvent is a hydrocarbon solvent.
 23. The fluid of claim 1, wherein said solvent is a mixture of a hydrocarbon solvent and a halogenated solvent or a silicone oil type solvent. 